New Balance one of the very first sneaker brands was born in Massachusetts in 1906, long before Puma, Nike or Adidas, under the exact name of The New Balance Arch Company. William J. Riley, a shoemaker by trade, created the brand with the aim of helping people with foot problems. The first activity of New Balance was therefore the development of orthopaedic insoles designed to provide better support for the arch of the foot. The name " New Balance " was directly inspired by the shape of a chicken's feet. By observing the chicken's feet, William Riley realised that their 3 points of support offered a perfect balance of balance and force distribution, which was very useful in the creation of his orthopaedic insoles.